Bandits, Terrorists Are Bold Because They Feel Protected By Buhari – Dele Momodu

Dele Momodu, the Nigerian publisher and presidential aspirant, has attributed the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria to the inaction of President Muhammadu Buhari.  

Momodu spoke Sunday when he appeared on the online interview programme, 90MinutesAfrica, hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo and Chido Onumah.

The publisher of Ovation Magazine, who is running for president under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wondered why the Nigerian military has not been able to contain bandits and terrorists in the country despite performing excellently well in external assignments. He said Nigerian soldiers held control over large parts of Liberia during their peacekeeping operations in the country which played a crucial role in bringing an end to the country’s civil war but have allowed bandits and terrorists to roam freely in Nigeria.

“So, what is wrong that our soldiers cannot control Sambisa Forest, why has Niger State fallen into the hands of bandits, and Zamfara and Kaduna? If bandits feel protected by the leader they will continue to misbehave,” Momodu said. “The bandits continue their atrocities because they feel protected by the president.”

Momodu described the immolation of Miss Deborah Samuel in Sokoto as an “assassination and almost premeditated murder.” He wondered why other presidential hopefuls have shied away from condemning the mob action. 

“I don’t know why other aspirants are afraid to speak up. Though I was told they are afraid to lose votes from the North, I don’t think it is true. A lot of our politicians are just selfish. They don’t care if Nigeria burns to ashes so long as the elections will go on,” Momodu noted.

On his support for President Buhari in 2015, Momodu said it was an error and reiterated his apology to Nigerians for his wrong choice. “My support for Buhari was because I had to choose between two evils. APC was the only alternative to a fumbling PDP in 2015. But immediately I saw that Buhari was fumbling, and his case was irredeemable, I apologized to Nigerians for supporting him,” said Momodu who ran for president under the National Conscience Party (NCP) in 2011.

He accused President Buhari of running his government like a traditional institution. “Buhari has the mindset that he cannot touch his people and that he exists for his people. Only a traditional ruler behaves like that.”